Although the Lehigh Valley has been spared the extreme weather conditions of other parts of the country, we are approaching the winter driving season; to some the most dreaded driving season of all.

No doubt about it, driving in snow, freezing rain, ice and slush can be hazardous to your health. And it is not just the elements that are dangerous but the winter driving skill of you and other motorists on the road.

Fortunately, for every hazard there are skills and tricks that can be learned to help get through the worst of most situations. And any average driver who doesn't panic can learn them. For those who are prone to panic, the best advice is to leave the car parked until the roads are clear.

First off, the most import factor to know is the traction capability of your car. Knowing just how it will react under different conditions is a necessary step when making any trip, and more so in winter conditions. This, however, is relatively easy to check out. All it requires is a traffic free road or an empty parking lot. A good time to do this is at the first snowfall.

Begin by accelerating from a standing start with increasing amounts of throttle. This will point out the driving wheels' breaking point. It will also reveal what characteristics or idiosyncrasies your car may have. For example, will the back or front end break free or swing out with a certain amount of power? Next try the brakes. Do this at various speeds at various brake pressure. Again, see what happens. You may not like what happens, but at least you will know what to expect.

Once you have a "feel" for your car, you are ready for the most important rule ofdriving in bad weather and that is to get a "feel" of the road. By gunning the engine and/or jabbing on the brakes you can determine how much traction is availble. Make sure you have plenty of room and are not endangering other motorists.

Another primary rule of bad weather driving - unfortunately, the most frequently abuses - is following at a safe distance. This safe distance will, of course, vary with the condition of the road surface. But just remember that the slipperly the road, the greater the distance. Also, following distances should be increased as visibility decreases.

One of the nastier side effects of snow is fog: Snow has moisture, moisture creates fog. Slippery conditions coupled with fog call for extra alertness. Drive with the headlights on low beam to improve your visibility and to improve the chances of other drivers seeing you. When snow isn't producing fog, it's producing glare. When the sun is shining on the snow, it can make a bad situation ever worse. Always keep sunglasses in the car and use them when needed.

Braking does present a problem in bad weather but the problem can be kept to a minimum by being alert and using common sense. Don't jam on the brakes. Instead, very gently, tap and release the brake pedal in a pumping motion. When possible, use the braking power of the engine by downshifting to a lower gear rather than by using the brake pedal. Never, but never, brake in the middle of a curve. This could cause a skid, which brings us to one of the biggest concerns of bad weather driving.

If your car does start to skid, try not to panic. Instead, keep in mind that the slippery surface that contributed to the skid can also help you get out of it. Don't oversteer and don't jam on the brakes (you can't steer a car when all four wheels are locked). In a rear drive car, remove your foot from the accelerator and turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid (if the vehicle's rear is skidding to the right, turn the steering wheel to the left). When you feel the car start to recover, straighten your front wheels. When you are able to regain control, resume braking by tapping on the brakes.

The procedure for front-wheel drive cars is a little different. In general, a front-wheel drive car will go in the direction the wheels are pointed. This may not always correspond to the direction you want to go. Steering the front wheels to the correct direction and applying power will usually straighten out a skid.

With either drive configuration, retaining traction will help avoid skids. Start out slowly. If the wheels start spinning, let up on the gas until traction is retained. Before going up a hill increase speed (within reason) to build up some momentum to get the car over the top.

The new Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) will cut down drastically on skidding and losing traction. But very few cars today are equipped with ABS. Also, some cars - particularly front-wheel drive models - have their own characteristics, which might be pointed out in owners' manuals. Today there are also many more four-wheel drive vehicles that will act and react completely different than two-wheel drive vehicles. So, again, the best thing is to get a feel for a particular car and then get the feel of the road on that particular trip.

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In last week's column I discussed Rolls-Royce motor cars that ranged in price from about $100,000 to $200,000. Obviously, not everyone is driving around in new Rolls-Royces. But what do I think is the most expensive production car available for sale in the Lehigh Valley?

Now I'm not talking exotic sports cars, custom cars or one-off models but a car built by a large auto manufacturer. Without belaboring this issue too much, the car is the new Mercedes-Benz 560SEC with a price sticker of $60,200. Included in this price is a $1,500 gas guzzler tax, which, if you can afford the initial $58,700 manufacturer's suggested retail price shouldn't hurt you that much.

To be sure, you are not going to run into a 560SEC every time you drive down the street, but you can see one every now and then. This luxury coupe is powered by a 5.6-liter (hence the 560 designation) V-8 that is rated at 238 horsepower and can move the car along at a much faster clip than the national 55 miles per hour speed limit. But in the words of Mercedes-Benz, "all the emphasis is not on higher power."

I'm not sure just what the emphasis is on, but I would venture that prestige rates high. I mean talk about putting things up front.

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Did you know that lower temperatures cause lower tire pressure? A car's tire pressure decreases as the temperature drops - about one pound per square inch for each 10-degree Fahrenheit drop. A tire correctly inflated at 70 degrees could be as much as five pounds under-inflated at 20 degrees. And this is why the Lehigh Valley Motor Club advises motorists to keep a check on tire pressure as the weather turns cooler.

Tires should be checked often and only when they are "cold," preferably before the car is driven in the moring or driven less than one mile. Tires expand once they heat up making the air pressure reading inaccurate.

A common misconception is that lower tire pressure improves traction in the snow. Under-inflated tires cause more tread than necessary to come into contact with the road, affecting vehicle control and creating excessive drag which wastes gasoline and wears out the tires.

Also, keep in mind, that mud and snowtires marked "M/S" on the tire sidewalls, require four more pounds of pressure than regular tires. Extra tire pressure increases snow tire tread life and improves vehicle handling on paved roads. But extra pressure added to snow tires must not exceed the tire's maximum rated pressure as noted on the tire's sidewall and listed in the owner's manual.